Bebtram j



A ril 6.1926.

a." J. GRIGSBY ST RING comm originaP i dS P 1919' [An/mm? 5621mm J 479%):

EJ' I flffyi Reissuecl Apr. 6, 192 6.

lmn'rnaui. GRIGSBY, or ranx amen,

ILLINOIS, ASSIGNQ B TO WHYTE MOTOR rnonuc'rs comrnmr, A 'conrona'rron or mnmors.

STEERING COLUMN.

Original No. 1,396,195,

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that 1,,BfiTRAM J GnIosBY, av citizen of the United .States, residing at Park Ridge,'in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Steering Columns, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in steeringcolumns for use on motor driven vehicles, by which the steering column not only supports a steering wheel and devices for controlling the spark and the throttle valve, but also an instrumentboard having mounted thereon instruments and devices usuallymounted on the dash of the vehiclgj connections from 5 id instruments and devices extending thr ugh said column where- .by they may perform their intended functions.

The instrument board referred to. is preferably mounted substantially parallel with the steering wheel and just above the latter, as a result of which the devices carried by said instrument board are always easily seen by the driver without moving from hlS driving position and such of said devices as require manual operation may be actuated without taking the attention from the driving and with no change of position of the driver.

My invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings,-

showing preferred embodiments of my invention in which--- 7 Figure 1 is a longitudinal, sectional view of my improved steering column in place in a vehicle.

Fi 2 is a front elevation of thesteering whee and instrument board shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 shows in a view similar to Fig. 2, a modified form of instrument board and Fig. 4 shows in a view. similar to Fig. 1, a modified construction of steering column.

Similar numerals refer to sim lar parts throughout the several views.

- As shown inFig. 1, which s the-preferred form of my improved steering column, an inner stationary tube 10, is mounted to extend u wardly ,and rearwardly of the ve- ,hicle t rough the dash 11 thereof .be'ing rigidly held in such position at lower end by a bracket \12 fastened in anyi suitable dated llovembe'r a, 1921, semi-ho. 326,643, filed September 20,1919. Application for reissue filed November 8, 1928. Serial No. 673,613.

manner, not shown, to the frame of the vehicle. The tube 10. is surrounded by a second, rotatable tube 13, supported by a 6 bearing 14, preferably of the roller type from the dash 11. Suitable bearings 15 and 16, preferably of the roller type are disposed between said tubes at their ends, as a result of which construction both tubes are 60 securel supported in the position indicated toper orm their intended functions.

The tube 10 has rigidly secured to its up 'per end, a casing17, circular inform and of a depth sufficient to receive in it and-inclose the devices that may be mounted on the switchboard 18, forming the cover of ,the casing. As indicated in Fig. 2, the instrument board has mounted thereon aspeedome'ter 19, an ammeter 20, a clock 21, and electric switches 22; also a shielded lamp 23 for illuminating the face of the switch-v board. Control levers 24 and 25 are rovided for the throttle and spark, w ch evers extend through a slot 26 in the switchboard and are secured in the casing 17 to the upper ends ofrods 27 and 28, extending through the tube 10 and connected in the usual manner, not shown, with the parts to be actuated thereby. A flexible!" shaft 29 extends through the tube 10 into the casing 17 and is connected with the speedometer 19 to operate the same. The switches 22 may be employed to perform the usual functions of the control switches used on motor vehicles, such as control'lin' the ignition circuit, the lights and the eel starter if there be one. As many of these switches may be used as desired and the circuits controlled thereby are connected with said switches by the conductors of a cable 30 extending through the'tnbedO into the casing 17. To conveniently operate the steering wheel, the spokes 31, thereof, which are rigidly secured to the upper end. of the tube 13 under the casing 17 are curved toeirten'd outward and around the ed e of thecasing 17 so that the rim 32 of sai WheeLsecured to the outer ends of said spokes, encircles the casing 17, with sufiicient clearance to permit convenient operation of said wheel. The lower end ofthetube 13 has secured thereto .a worm 33 meshing with a worm wheel 84,

, manner, and'the inner tube 13 is rotatable,

for the driver to look through the wheel, a

semi-circular instrument board 18 and a casing similarly conformed, may be employed as shown in Fig. 3, in which case the upper half of the steering wheel is left unenstructed. In other respects the construction is the same as described above in connection with Figs. 1 and'2. I

In the. modified form of my invention shown in. Fig. 4, the outer tube 10 is stationary, being supported in any suitable The tube 10 supports at its upper end a casing 17 inclosed by an instrument board 18 and the tube 13 extends through said cas ing and instrument board and has secured to its end the inner ends of the straight spokes 31 of the Steering wheel, which spokes ex tend'over the/instrument board, thus interfering somewhat with a clear view of the latter. The throttle and spark control devices are preferably mounted on the steering wheel and extend through the-inner tube 13' to the parts to be actuated thereby. The apparatus carried by the instrument board 18 in the casing 17 may be substantially the same asdescribed above in connection with Figs. 1 and 2. It will be understood that said apparatus may differ in different cases, depending upon the particular control it is desired to exercise from the instrumentboard in each case and. I do not therefore limit my: self any specific grouping or selection of said apparatus. I flexibleshaft 29 extend through the tube 10 outside of the tube 13", from the, apparatus on the instrument board 18 to the parts, not shown, connected therewith.

B the, term indicator mechanisms as use in the claims I mean apparatus heretofore mounted on the vehicle dash, such as the speedometer, electrical measuring in- Btruments and clock, and by the term control mechanism I mean the usual spark and throttle controls and the switches which" may be used'for controlling the various electrical circuits used in connection with a motor vehicle. By the term instrument'board as used-in the claims I mean asupport. for said indicator and control mechanisms.

While I have shown In invention in the particular embodiment "a )(JVG described, it

will be understood that I do not'limitmyselt' to this exact construction as I may employ equivalents known to the art at't-lie time of the filing of this application without depart ing from the scope of the appended claims.

. VhlltxIClillm 1s:v

1. In a device of the class described, the

An electric cable 30 and.

combination of a stationary tube, a rotatable tube supported by said stationary tube, said tubes being disposed concentric relation,

, steering wheel, an'instrument board carried a speedometer and bly the upper end of said tube parallelwith I t 8.

plane of said wheel, indicating devices mounted on said instrument board, and mem-. bers extend-ing from said devlces through said tube for operating said devices, said devices comprising a speedometer and said members including a flexible shaft for driving said speedometer. V

' 3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a rotatable steering column,

a steering wheel secured to the upper end of said column, a stationary tube concentric with said column and endin adjacent said steering wheel, an'instrumen board carried by the upper'end of said tube parallel with t 0 plane of said wheel, indicating devices mounted on said instrument board, and members extending fromsaiddevices through said tube for operating said devices, said devices comprising a speedometer and an electrical indicating device and said members comprising a flexible shaft and. electrical conductors for controlling the opera- I tion of said speedometer andsaid electrical indicating device.

4. A steering unit, comprising a steering wheel, its support, control mechanisms, indicator mechanisms, and acasing, said easdisposed within the boundary of ing being the steering wheel rim and supported from the steer-in wheel support, and enclosing said contro and indicator'mechanisms.

5. A steering unit, comprising a steering wheel, its support, control mechanisms, indicator mechanisms, and a casing disposed within the boundary of the steering wheel rim and supported from the steering wheel support with its upper face in the plane of said rim, said casing enclosing the entirecontrol and indicator mechanisms.

.6. A steering gear control unit comprising a steering column, a plurality of sleeves therein, and a speedometer driving means within the sleeves. i In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

, BERTRAM JoRIGsBY. 

